List makes you feel old

August 31, 2009 - Marguerite Lanthier

Just in time to make you feel old — the annual Beloit College Mindset List, which compiles 75 cultural landmarks to help keep professors up to date on cultural references of incoming freshmen. According to the website, each August since 1998, Beloit College has released the list. "It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. It is the creation of Beloit’s Keefer Professor of the Humanities Tom McBride and Emeritus Public Affairs Director Ron Nief.” Among the findings on the list, the class of 2013, most of whom were born in 1991, never watched Johnny Carson as the host of The Tonight Show. Most have never used a card catalog at the library. They don't remember Magic Johnson before he was HIV-positive. They have always been able to see the news 24/7, been able to eat blue Jell-O and Berry Berry Kix. For them, the Cartoon Network has always been on cable and flat screen televisions have always been available for purchase. You can check out the entire list at www.beloit.edu/mindset/